Engine bed underframe



1940! E. J. ,W. RAIGSDAKLE :1- AL 2,185,988

ENGINE BED UNDERFRAME Original Filed April 13, 1936 4 sh'eta-sheet 1,INVENTORS EARL 1W QAJGSDALE ALBERT CLDEAN'.

' %,w/ v v ATTOYIViNEY.

Jan-2 1940. I IE. J. w. RAGSDALE El Al. 21,185,988v

ENGINE BED UNDERFRAME Original Filed April 13, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTORS EAQLJWRAGSDALB ALBERT G. D/gm flux-2W ATTORNEY.

Jan. 2,' 1940.

E. J. W. RAGSDALE ET AL ENGINE BED UNDERFRAME I N V EN TORS EARL 1WRAQSDAIE BY ALBERT 6. DEAN- ATTORNEY.

Jam. 2, 1940. r E. J. w. RAGsbALE ET AL 2,135,983

ENGINE BED UNDERFRAME I Original Filed April 13, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 4I'NVENTORS EARL JWRAQSDALE ALBERT CT. DEAN- ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 2, 1940 UNri'izo STATES PATENT OFFICE" ENGINE BEDUNDERFRAME Application April 13, 19st, Serial No. 74,134 I Renewed June21, 1939 21 Claims. (01.105414) This invention relates to improvementsin underframe construction for rail cars and more particularly to animproved underframe for a tractor unit rail car having integral powerplant supporting elements. It is a continuation in part of co-pendingapplication Serial Number 720,490 filed April 13, 1934 and entitled Railcar front end constructionf. t

The, development of high speed, light weight rail car constructionespecially adapted for selfcontained power plants as of the Diesel typehas required an economy of weight as well as an increase in strength andsafety. The horsep wer required depends on the weight of the car and anincrease in power plant requirements involves a further increase inweight. It the allowable loading limit on double truck axles is reached,however, more axles involving fur-' liighly eflicient ther weight arenecessary. stressing of the eflective parts of the un'derframe is thusof major importance in the high speed,

light weight rail carservice. -Furthermore, at the high speeds at whichthese rail carsare adapted to run, the collision reacting force isgreater rather than less as would be expected with the lighter weighttrains, I inasmuch as the collision reaction depends on the second powerof the speed. It is essential that the underframe be of even greaterstrength than the prior heavy structures used, and it must be of lighterweight than prior constructions in order toecono'mize on power demands.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide acomhined'underframe and,

power plant support whichextends substantially throughout the forepartof a tractor unit rail car and serves to carry the entire body as wellas the power plant, the load reactions being transmitted through anintegral bolster to the supporting truck. 1 1 1 'Another object of theinvention is to provide a combined underirameand power plant supportingstructure for a light-weight truss=type car in which the power plant andunderframe is balanced over the integral bolster so that the car "bodyis normally free of power plant load reactions, thus insuring steadieroperation and greater traction.

Another and inore specific object of the in-" vention is to provide acombined underframe II the principal longitudinal siils forstrengthening the underframe and-simultaneously supporting the powerplant. 0

Another object of the invention is to provide a welded plate structureof a high strength metal alloy for a power plant bed which can be are 5welded .at' the respective seams and built into bumper portions andrearwardly extending stress distributing members for the adequatereaction u to collision loads, distribution of collision loads on thebody to the underframe and side frames,

and balancing out bending moment reactions into the body side frames. 1I,

Another object of the invention is to provide 20 a power plantsupporting base structure to which the main portion of the body of therail car may be secured, such base in itself serving as the flooring ofthe power plant compartment, and having a rounded front end to take andward off laterally collisionshocks, such base ha ving draft gearreceiving pockets and being adapted to anchor body beams of ananti-collision nature to prevent shearing oif in case of accident, I

Further objectsand advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing description of preferred forms of embodiment thereof as shownon the attached drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, with parts in section of the front end of arail carshowing the construction and location of .the combinedpowerplant support-and car body under-frame.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the underframe shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3'is a top plan view of the underframe shown in Fig. 1 and at aslightly smaller scale.

Fig. 4 isa vertical section through the body side frame and a part ofthe underframe showing the manner of attachment of the side framesthereto.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a modified form of underframe and powerplantsupport construc- 1 tion.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the construction'go shown in Fig. 5.

Jum

tractor unit It! as generally shown in Fig. 1

is mounted on a unitary member II which constitutes a combinedunderframe and power plant v support. This underframe and power plantsupport member II is preferably mounted in balanced relation to thetruck l2 by the relatively large annular truck bearing I3 on the truckframe, the king pin bolt 14 passing through this bearing and thebolster, thus tying the under- [0 frame to the truck while permitting arelative rotation therebetween.

When the remaining part of the car is used for. baggage or passengeraccommodation, an extremely light weight truss construction for the 15body may be used, and in such case the under-.- frame extends only underthe forward portion 'of the car over the supporting truck. Preferably,the underframe extends substantially throughout the operatorscompartment and power plant compartment to the bulkhead Illa, thusserving not only as the power plant support but also as the entireunderframe for the body in this region, and as described hereinafter,the body framework is secured thereto If, howeventhe entire car were tobe used for power plant, the underframe would extend throughout the car.The light weight truss type body construction for baggage or passengeraccommodation does not require a through running underframe of thistype, however.

The underframe and ,power plant support member II is provided centrallywith longitudinally extending raised beams ii of web truss construction,which are tied together transversely and reenforced by top flanges l6forming top chord members of the truss. The main unit of the power plantgenerally indicated at I! in Fig. 1 .is secured to these top flanges.The power plant, which in the preferred construction in- 40 eludes aninternal combustion engine, which may be of the Diesel type, andgenerator, is so dis-v posed longitudinally and transversely of theunderframe that the combined weight of power. plant and underframe andthe principal accesm sories is substantially balanced over theking pinl4. This location of the center of gravity of the underframe l l and thepowerplant and its principal accessories substantially directly overthe.

king pin, insures minimum reactions between truck and body in rounding acurve and greatly improves the smoothness of operation. The weight iseven.y distributed on the driving wheels and by reason of this massbeing directly over the driving-truck, better traction is had. The frontportion Ha. of the underframe structure becomes one of the principaltransverse members and in front is slightly offset down- .wardly andconveniently forms the flooring for the operators compartment l9. Largeopenings materially reduce the weight of this part of 'the underframe.A- pocket or pockets llb opening toward the front are adapted to housethe draft gear and buffer connections. The front end Ila; of theunderframe ll is rounded on a At the central portion of its front, theunderframe carries a rearwardly and upwardly inclined collision beam 24extending substantially 7 to the roof, and the upper end of this beamties Side plates 25 serve as 7 into the roof framing and braces theuuderl'rame directly to the roof. A socket 24a, formed on theunderframe, is provided to prevent shearing of the collision beam at theunderframe.

Intermediate the length of the underframe II I is an integral bolster20, and at its sides the bolster is provided with vertically relativelydeep, side plates 2| formed with outwardly extending flanges 22approximately equal tothe thickness of the body side wall framing andforming as- 10 sembly joint structures by which the body side walls aresecured to the underframe. The downwardly extending portions of plates2| .are preferably braced through brackets 23 to the bottom wall of thebolster, see Fig. 4. I 15 The vertical side frame post carlines 30 aresecured'to the underframe I I and interconnected to each other by a deepvertical plate 32 corresponding to the depth of the side plates 2| ofthe underframe. The plate 32 is inwardly flanged in N its top-margin at33 and in the final assembly nests with the angle formed by the flooringof the under-frame and the side plate 2| and is rigidly secured theretosubstantially throughout the length of the underframe as indicated bythe 25 rivets 34. By this construction, a very rigid and stronginterconnection between the unitary underframe and the light weight sidewall trusses of the body is attained. a 1

The underframe which serves double duty as :0 the supporting structurefor the remainder of the car and as the power plant support consistsessentially of a series of relatively wide and thin plates welded tovertical webs to make an internal cellular and rigid structure. Such acon- 35 struction is preferably made of a plurality of separately weldedplates due to the extreme lightness possible, although it is of courseto be unthe supporting truck. The side post joining plates 32 are alsosecured to this portion of the so underframe. With such a construction acenter sill is not essential and thereby great reductions can be had inthe gross weight of the rail car.

Between the longitudinal sills l5 are a plurality u of vertical webs 21integral with-the underframe webs and of a suitable shape to permitadequate clearance between the underframe and power plant. A horizontalweb 28 may also be used between the webs adjacent the bottoms of thelongi- 5o tudinal sills and it may be cut out for weight reduction orconvenience to provide holes as desired" y I The longitudinal sills alsomay have suitable hand holes 29 to facilitate attachment ofthe powerplant .and to facilitate welding. In addition theseholes tend to lightenthe structure.

tensions as floor supports, -the underframe becomes anintegral,eiilciently stressed part of the tractor unit body without anyunnecessary duplication of parts or unnecessary weight. It adequatelyaccomplishes its principal mission of supporting the power plant, and inaddition it eliminates the usual .car underframe in the forward part ofthe car and makes itl-unnecessary in the remaining part of the car.

-. It will thus be seen that the entire underframe acts as the car bodysupporting medium, permits adequate stress transmission with the lightweight truss type body framing and forms the principal strength memberboth for the underframe as well as the power plant support. Plates bersconstitute a' truss, as in the first form of embodiment of theinvention, and reenforce the 'underframe throughout its 1ength,'suchlongitudinal members having flanges 4l of reduced width forwardly of thebolster 43 for receiving the generator of the power plant, not shown.The bottom of the underframe, between longitudinal web members 4|a, iscovered by a plate 44 covering the entire bottom, as shown in Fig. 14,which has hand holes 46 for adjustment of the power plant.

In this embodiment of the invention the longiconstruction. A transversesection through theweb 4|a is shown in Fig. 1'1, the plate 44 joiningthe bottom chord flange members 95.

Transverse sections through the underframe in the generator receivingcompartment are generally shown in Figs. 12 and 14. Fig. 12, taken alongthe line |2|2 of Fig. 5, shows the fabricated web type of transversereenforcement near the'front of the underframe and forward of thegenerator. 4| is formed into a box section on the inside by a plate 85becoming a flange extension and an inside vertical plate 86, which inthe center of the underframe becomes of arcuate shape in plan view andextends from'side to side for a center reenforcement. Here again handholes .81 are provided to facilitate welding of the respective wardly ofbolster and spaced therefrom is the The main web 4|a having theflangeforward transverse member 49, while a needle beam 50 is providedrearward of the bolster. A final Junction channel 5| is also provided toaid in tying in the side frames.

The frontsill member 49-is provided with a bumper portion 55 ofgenerally rounded co figuration, having relatively largeppenings 56 tofacilitate fabrication and to reduce weight. Intermediate of thisbumperportion 55 is a substantially triangular plate 51 which issupported by vertical web members 58 which are joined in an efiectivetriangular shape and have their apex approximately at point 59 rearwardof the collision beam receiving socket 60.

The webs 58 extend from regions adjacentthe ends of the longitudinalsills4la, although they are in the stepped down region of the bumperportion 55. A cross section of the channel shaped bumper portion 55 andof the hollow box collision resisting section 55a is shown in Fig. 7.

'It is, of course, to be understood that if desired the webs 58 mightextend directly forwardof the bumper portion 55 in a substantiallyparallel relation, and where it is necessary to use the space above thebumper portion for structural reasons,

such as for air intake or other purpose, the.

parallel construction may be preferred. 1

Transverse views through the front sill 49 are shown in Figs. 13 and 15.Fig. 13 shows the web 88 as the'principal element, such web having aplate 89 and a flange 90 which presents rearwardly, and a bottom flange9| serving to reenforce the front sill member. In Fig. 15, it will be noed that theplate 51 covers the triangular framework and the web 88. Abracket 95 serves to support the pilot to the under-frame and areenforcing web 96 projects down from a plate 51 tudinal sills 4| extendnot only tothe rear needle beam 50 but tothe end tie member 5|, belowfor additional reenforcement. The rear part of plate 51 becomes plate 85and the'bottom plate 44 between the sills extends into vertical plate88.

- The bolster is shown in cross section in Fig. 8 and has the relatively'deepside plates Ill having the bottom plate supporting flanges 10a andthe relatively heavy top' and bottom bolster plates II and I2 whichextend entirely across the -under-. frame from side to side. Thelongitudinal sill webs 4|a support the engine receiving flanges at 4|,such sill web being substantially continuous from one flange 4| down theside 4|a, intermediate 'web 4|b, across the bottom web 4|c, up the otherside to "the other flange. The king pin post I2 extends down to thebottom web M0 and is thus reenforced for its reaction with the truck.Side bearings 13 cooperate with appropriate portions of the truck aswill be understood. The bottom extension of the side plate'lfl ispreferably joined by a reenforcing web 15 to the lower bolster plate 12.

Transversely, the bolster consists of a plurality of webs as moreclearly shown in Figs. 10 and 11. Fig. 10 is a section taken transverseof the bolster on the line ||ll|| of Fig. 5, and the plurality of webs16, I1 and 18 of which the bolster is made, join the top plate ll havingopenings 80 and bottom plate i2. Supplementary webs '19 are Provided onthe outside of the main bolster. It will be noted from Fig. 11, which istaken be: tween the webs 4|a, that the box constuction of the bolster iscontinued from end to end thereof, and throughoutthe center portion,additional reenforcement is provided by plate 4 lo for the king pinsupport, the plate 4|c having transverse edge flanges 4 Id.

Details of the needle beam 50 are shown in Fig. 9. The needle beam is acomparatively shallow beam on each side of the longitudinal s webs Maand 4'lb, although the deep transvers 'ertical web 82 between-the sillsacts as a com .I reenforcing extension of it. The ends of the needlebeam terminate in large plates 68, heretofore mentioned, for adequatejoinder with the side post joining plate, not shown. It will be notedthat the flanges 4| recede from the top plane to the bottom of theunderframe structure, being continuous and thus completing thelongitudinal truss. In Fig. 18, the needle beam is shown in transversesection and includes top flange 98, web 99, and plate 44.

The underframe is readily constructed into a,

rigid uhitary structure by welding although composed of plates, andplates can readily be out to give the necessary strength with theminimum of weight. It is especially suitable for rail car operation, forpower plant loads can be accurately balanced without danger ofstructural failure and without imposing unnecessary loads on the carbody.

While we have shown preferred forms of embodiment of the invention, weare aware that changes can be made, and we thus desire a broadinterpretation of our invention within the scope and spirit of thedisclosure herein and of the claims appended hereinafter.

What we claim is:

1. An integral front end underframe for a rail car which comprisesshallow cellular bumper,

bolster, and needle beam elements and longitudinally extending andupwardly projecting web sill elements tying said shallow cellularelements together and supporting an engine and generator thereon, saidweb sill elements being of substantially l section, the top flange ofwhich I is a top chord of a truss, said underframe consisting of aplurality of plates welded to ether. 2. A one piece fabricated platerail car underframe of are welded construction having a relatively deeppair of longitudinal webs constituting principal strength members of theunderframe, and transversely extending bolster and needle beam members,the longitudinal webs having topmost plate fianges for securing a powerplant thereto and longitudinal spaced transverse body securingextensions, said longitudinal webs to the rear of said extensions beingadapted for attachment to a main car frame, and brace members extendingfrom the longitudinal webs of the power plant supports to the side ofthe underframe adjacent the ends of the needle beam member fortransmitting a portion of the longitudinal stresses to the main carframe.

8. A rail car.underframe having formed integrailytherewith a front sill,bumper, bolster, and needle beam, each of which act as direct supportsof a car body, and each of which con- .their abutting portions andforming parts of longitudinal trusses.

4. An integral car underframe structure for Y the front end ofaself-propelled car body comprising a bolster, longitudinal sills,flangeson said sills on opposite sides of said bolster for supporting apowerplant, a bumper on one side of said bolster, and a needle beam onthe other side of the bolster, and means on saidbolster, bumper andneedle beam-to support'a car body,

' being the top chords said underframe having its center of gravitysubstantially over the bolster.

5. In a self-propelled rail car an underframe comprising a pair oflongitudinal sills of separate plate flange and plate web constructionincluding flanged floor supports, the top plate flange on said sillsproviding supports for an engine located above the level of said floorsupports, said sills extending to a bumper portion forwardly of saidengine supports, socket means to support a body collision resisting beamon said bumper portion agains't longitudinal shear loads, and bracesdiverging from said socket means to connect with said sills whereby todistribute collision loads on said beam directly into said sills.

6. A rail car tractor unit underframe which comprises a relatively wideshallow box type plate bolster, a relatively deep transverse memberforward of the bolster and spaced therefrom, a transverse needle beamrearward of the bolster, said transverse members having relatively deepaligned side plates whereby a truss type body may be secured thereto,and longitudinal truss type power plant supports joining said spacedtransverse members.

7. A rail car tractor unit underframe which comprises a relatively wide,shallow box type plate bolster, a plurality of transverse members on therespective sides and spaced from said bolster, said bolster andtransverse members having relatively deep side plates on therespectiveends thereof whereby a truss type body may be secured thereto,longitudinal truss type power plant supports joining said spacedtransverse members, and a plate joining the longitudinal power plantsupports substantially near the bottom thereof.

8. A rail car tractor unit underframe including a central transversebolster, continuous longitudinal truss type power plant supports havingplate webs and plate chords extending on each side of said bolster, aforwardly projecting transversebumper portion integral with said powerplant supports, and a transverse needle beam rearwardly of said bolsterand integral with said supports, said bolster being the balancing pointof the underframe and its power plant.

9. A tractor unit combined unitary power plant support and front endunderframe for light weight rail car construction in whichrelativelyhigh tractive effort is required which includes a bolster,longitudinal power plant supports o1 truss type having plate webs'andplate chords to which the power plant is secured, and transverselyextending beam members at the opposite extremities of the power plantsupports and spaced respectively in front and in rear of the bolster,said beams extending laterally for attachment to the car body, saidsupports forming a stigening portion of the. underframe,and being solocated that the center of gravity of the power plant and underframe issubstantially over the bolster.

10. An integral car underframe structure comprising longitudinal silltruss members, a bolster having a top plate member serving as a topchord and extending through said t smembers, said truss members havingcontinuous top plates welded thereto and extending on oppositesides ofsaid bolster to support an engine and generator respectively, saidengine supporting means of said longitudinal sill truss members. v

11. An integral front end underframe for a; rail car having a selfcontained power plant which comprlses a front sill and bumper portion,an'

'intermediate bolster adapted to be supported from a truck and a rearneedle beam, said rear needle beam being spaced aft of the bolstersubstantially as much as the front sill is forward thereof for a balanceof the underframe over the bolster, said bolster, front sill and bumperportion, and rear needle beam being adapted to receive and support partsof a car body, and longitudinal vertically stiffened plate truss membersextending between said front sill and bumper portion and said needlebeam and above said bolster, said longitudinal truss members havingpower plant supports welded thereon, said supports being continuous fromneedlev beam to front sill. a

12. A car underframe and power plant support structure comprising aplurality of longitudinally extending I-section truss members havingpower plant supporting flange upper chords, transverse webs and verticalreenforcing members forming posts and I-section-lower chord members, allof which are formed of plate members welded to form an integral unit,and add1- tional means to jointhe truss members including a plateapproximately at the bottom chord,-

and means to support said .underframe intermediate its ends, said meansincluding a reenforced box section bolster beam having continuous chordmembers extending to. body attaching side plates.

13. A rail car power plant supporting structure, comprising longitudinaltr-uss members including top chords, bottom chords and'webstherebetween, a front end sill, a stepped down front portion adapted tosupport an operator's compartment and having an outwardly projectingbumper element of generally rounded shape and tied into said front endsill on each edgeand in the middle, and a rear portion approximately atthe level of the bottom chord member to which the car body is adapted/tobe secured, the-bottom chord member extending throughout the length ofthe supporting structure and having a trans-- verse plate extendingbetween the longitudinal truss members.

14. A rail car power plant supporting structure, comprising longitudinaltruss members in-' cluding. top chords, bottom chords and webstherebetween, a stepped down front portion adapted to support anoperators compartment,

and a rear portion approximately at the level of having longitudinallyextending power plant supporting webs. and chord members, said webs andchords consisting of mutually welded plates constituting portions ofprincipal load supporting trusses, said chords having portions to sup-.

port a power plant including engine and generator, and-an integral boxsection are welded plate bolster having a top chord continuous throughand welded to the power plant supporting webs, said bolster havingreinforcing means to mount said underirame over a supporting truck.

16. A rail car tractor unit underframe which comprises a relatively wideshallow box type plate bolster having relatively deep side body securingplates on the respective ends thereof, inner and outer,transversemembers extending continu-,

ously across said underframe and spaced from said bolster, means tosecure. the main car frame car frame to distribute a portion oflongitudinal collision stresses to the main car frame.

17. A rail car tractor unit underframe of plate elements fabricated-intoa hollow cellular structure and having longitudinal sills of relativelydeep I-section extending substantially the full length of the frame, andincluding flanges welded to the webs of said sills and constitutingeach. a top chord of a truss and supporting a power. plant, transversemembers including a bolster projecting from the sides of saidlongitudinal members and having relatively deep surfaces at the endsthereof in substantial longitudinal alignment with each other forattachment of a truss type of car body, certain transverse membersbeingsubstantially equally spaced'fore and aft of the bolster andanintegral horizontal web joining lower portions of the respectivelongitudinal members, the forward transverse member including a bumperof a generally rounded hollow plate construction having a centrallongitudinal web substantially intermediate of the first mentionedlongitudinal members.

. 18, In a rail car, a unitary underframe comprising anengine base and aforwardly extended bumper portion transversely rounded at its forwardedge and having its top face generally at a lower level than the'enginebase portion rearwardly thereof, an integral socket at the forwardcentral portion of said bumper portion to receive the lower end of acollision beam, and a triangular integral brace extending rearwardlyfrom said socket to the raised engine bed portion of the underframe. I

19. In a rail car, a unitary underframe comprising an engine base andhaving a forwardly extended bumper portion transversely rounded at itsforward edge and having its top face generally at a lower level than theengine base rearwardly thereof, an integral socket at the forwardcentral portion ofsaid bumperportion to receive the lower end of acollision beam,-and an integral brace extending rearwardly from saidsocket to the raised engine bed portion of the underframe.

20. A combined power plant support and underframe structure for aself-propelledrail car which comprises a body portion havinglongitudinally extending vertical webs for receiving a power plant, afront sill member tied in with the top and bottom of said vertical websand supported thereby, a bumper portion forward of said end sill member,said bumper portion being of generally semi-circular shape in plan withthe ends tied in with the ends of the front sill member, said bumperportion being adapted to integrally receive body structure posts and atriangular raised portion within said bumper portion extending from theforemost portion, of the effective extremities of the vertical powerplant 1 supporting webs to an apex at the fore part of the bumperportion, said raised portion providing a very high shear resistingsupport for a forea,1ea,9se

over the truck, the whole supported in balanced relation over the truck,said member having vertically deep side portions in front adjacent thebolster and also a substantial distance to the rear of said bolster fortying into the side walls 5 of the body. EARL J. W RAGSDALE. ALBERT G.DEAN.

